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LaTrecia Middleton (center), whose son Demarcus Semer, was fatally shot by Fort Pierce police following a traffic stop April 23, is comforted by friends following a press conference held by the Lincoln Park Council of Ministers outside the First Bethel Baptist Church on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, in Fort Pierce. A grand jury ruled earlier in the day to not indict the two Fort Pierce police officers involved in the shooting of the unarmed Semer.(Photo: XAVIER MASCAREÑAS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS)Buy Photo

We wonder what the grand jury's decision might have been had there been video of the incident. We wonder if the shooting would have occurred at all if Fort Pierce Police had been trained in techniques to defuse potentially violent situations.

And we wonder what might have occurred that night if Semer — and the Fort Pierce community as a whole — had more trust in its police force.

As it stands, we and the community must are left to trust in the grand jury's decision to return a "no true bill," which meant Officer Ralph Keith Holmes and Sgt. Brian MacNaught would not be indicted in the April 23 shooting of Semer, a former high-school football star who was working as a bank teller.

The grand jury report was a singularly unsatisfying document. And while legally the shooting may not have been a criminal act, we cannot accept that it was necessary.

Semer, the grand jury reported, was uncooperative after he was stopped by police for speeding, refusing to furnish his driver's license. When ordered out of his vehicle, the grand jury reported, he balked. When police tried to pull him out of the car, he took off, and subsequently fled on foot, according to the report.

All of these factors contributed to his death.

Yet this does not mean the blame for this tragic incident rests squarely on Semer. For at every step of the encounter, the police officers involved could have made better decisions.

As Geoffrey P. Alpert, a use-of-force expert who reviewed the evidence, wrote in his report: "There were a series of tactical errors that were committed by both officers that led to the use of deadly force."

Neither officer, Alpert noted, told Semer to turn off his vehicle. After Semer refused to get out of the car, Officer Ralph Keith Holmes tried to open his door and yank him out, while Sgt. Brian MacNaught opened the passenger door and leaned into the still-in-gear vehicle.

All this, it should be noted, over an alleged speeding infraction, the smell of marijuana and a tiny amount of suspected pot observed on the instrument panel.

Hearing the gunfire, MacNaught thought Semer was shooting at him; during the subsequent foot chase, he thought he caught a glimpse of a gun in Semer's hand, and fired six rounds. One hit Semer in the back, killing him.

There was no gun. Apparently, it was a cell phone.

None of these events — these failures — could be corroborated by video, because there was none. The two police cruisers involved in the initial stop were equipped with the department's Arbitrator dashboard camera system. But those cameras apparently weren't turned on.

The grand jury report concluded that some officers were insufficiently trained in the operation of the system, and that while cameras were supposed to automatically switch on under certain conditions, they sometimes failed to do so. Officers were supposed to upload footage at the end of their shift, but the rule was routinely ignored and rarely enforced.

The grand jury's report went on at length about this technical failure, recommending that the department take steps to ensure it has a properly functioning video recording program. It suggests body-worn cameras might also help document such encounters, and help restore trust between the community and the police.

That's a key point, as it's obvious that this trust is in short supply.

But more important, in our view, is the need for additional police training, particularly in "de-escalation" techniques. De-escalation, in effect teaches police how to defuse tense, complex situations and reduce the need to resort to deadly force. It preaches different, less-aggressive tactics like slow approaches and slow movements.

As the U.S. Department of Justice has reported, some police agencies have a "pattern and practice of taking immediate offensive actions" in encounters with subjects. While many law enforcement agencies do teach de-escalation, others still emphasize military-style exercises; aggressive response is still the norm.

There are certainly cases where an aggressive response is required, But what if, in Fort Pierce, Holmes and MacNaught had continued to speak calmly, peacefully, with Semer even after he had refused to produce his driver's license, or step out of the car? What if they hadn't attempted to pull him from the vehicle?

Despite his reluctance to comply, might all this have been avoided?

Going forward, in Fort Pierce — and elsewhere — the goal must be to avoid similar situations, where possible.

We say "where possible" because police must always be able to defend themselves. There are always going to be instances where the use of deadly force is necessary.

But if Fort Pierce Police, and all police, can reduce the likelihood through their own behavior and training — some good may still come of this tragedy.

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LaTrecia Middleton (center), whose son Demarcus Semer, was fatally shot by Fort Pierce police following a traffic stop April 23, is comforted by friends following a press conference held by the Lincoln Park Council of Ministers outside the First Bethel Baptist Church on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, in Fort Pierce. A grand jury ruled earlier in the day to not indict the two Fort Pierce police officers involved in the shooting of the unarmed Semer. XAVIER MASCAREÑAS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS

The Rev. Kenneth Mills (center) calls for peace from law enforcement and the community during a press conference Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, in the wake of a grand jury ruling earlier in the day to not indict the two Fort Pierce police officers involved in the April 23 fatal shooting of 21-year-old Demarcus Semer following a traffic stop. The Rev. Mills and other clergy with the Lincoln Park Council of Ministers spoke outside the First Bethel Baptist Church in Fort Pierce. XAVIER MASCAREÑAS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS

LaTrecia Middleton (left), whose son Demarcus Semer was fatally shot by Fort Pierce police following a traffic stop April 23, is comforted by the Rev. Charles Williams (center) and Betty Bradwell following a press conference held by the Lincoln Park Council of Ministers outside the First Bethel Baptist Church on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, in Fort Pierce. A grand jury ruled earlier in the day to not indict the two Fort Pierce police officers involved in the shooting of the unarmed Semer. XAVIER MASCAREÑAS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS

Meliance Lombrage (center), 21, of Fort Pierce, stands behind Demarcus Semer's mother, LaTrecia Middleton, as she gives an interview following a press conference held by the Lincoln Park Council of Ministers outside the First Bethel Baptist Church on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, in Fort Pierce. A grand jury ruled earlier in the day to not indict the two Fort Pierce police officers involved in the April 23 fatal shooting of the 21-year-old Semer following a traffic stop. XAVIER MASCAREÑAS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS

Lafayette Ashley (center), 19, of Fort Pierce, stands behind and listens as the Rev. Kenneth Mills (left) speaks at a press conference held by the Lincoln Park Council of Ministers outside the First Bethel Baptist Church on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, in Fort Pierce. A grand jury ruled earlier in the day to not indict the two Fort Pierce police officers involved in the April 23 fatal shooting of Demarcus Semer, a former teammate of Ashley's. XAVIER MASCAREÑAS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS

Betty Bradwell (left), co-chair with the Tri-County Chapter of Parents of Murdered Children, offers support to LaTrecia Middleton during a press conference held by the Lincoln Park Council Of Ministers outside the First Bethel Baptist Church on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, in Fort Pierce. A grand jury ruled earlier in the day to not indict the two Fort Pierce police officers involved in the April 23 fatal shooting of Middleton's son, 21-year-old Demarcus Semer. XAVIER MASCAREÑAS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS

Images from a press conference held by the Lincoln Park Council Of Ministers outside the First Bethel Baptist Church on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, in Fort Pierce. A grand jury ruled earlier in the day to not indict the two Fort Pierce police officers involved in the April 23 fatal shooting of 21-year-old Fort Pierce resident Demarcus Semer following a traffic stop. XAVIER MASCAREÑAS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS